


Amazing Grace

by Bizarra



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Gen, Inspired by Music, Melancholy fluff, inspired by a screencap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29312346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bizarra/pseuds/Bizarra
Summary: After a harrowing few weeks, Voyager's Captain is coming to terms with life as a gift.
Relationships: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway
Comments: 16
Kudos: 55





	Amazing Grace

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my friends and inspiration. This one is for you guys.

The Mess Hall was crowded with people as they enjoyed the show. It was a mix of uniforms and civilian dress, as some crew popped in here and there during their shifts. This Talent Night had been greatly looked forward to, as Voyager had just proved her mettle yet again in the harsh Delta Quadrant reality.

The last few weeks had been fraught with tension, fear, and more than a few injuries. The captain herself had only left Sickbay two days ago as a result of being caught when an EPS conduit exploded by the engineering bridge station. She’d had head injuries, multiple rib fractures, and a punctured lung. 

She still ached, but felt much better after the two weeks she’d spent lying on her back listening to the Doctor’s arias. She took a deep breath and let herself get lost in the surprising voice that had come out of Sue Nicoletti.

The Lieutenant’s rendition of Amazing Grace was exceedingly beautiful, with the bagpipe accompaniment thanks to Joe Carey. The more Kathryn listened to it, the more her mind played over the events of the last weeks.

The aliens had come out of nowhere, literally. They hadn’t shown up on sensors at all. There had been no warning until a ship appeared off their port bow and started shooting. They’d lost two crew members in that initial volley. 

After that the same ship would appear, like a ghost ship, daily at 1515, give them a near fatal pounding, then back off and vanish for twenty-four hours. Long enough for them to lick their wounds, heal their injuries, and limp along, hoping to leave whoever’s space it was they’d inadvertently violated.

They tried and tried to make contact, to turn around, to speed off, but the ship kept its relentless hounding, until on the tenth day, the pattern changed. And not for the better. On that day, a second ship arrived at the same time. It too fired on them. 

That was the day Kathryn had been injured. 

When she regained consciousness in Sickbay, the ships had gone and Voyager was once again sailing in safe space. Chakotay was in his usual spot, hovering at her bedside. He assured her she was out of danger, and that Voyager was out of danger. 

She didn’t know how he did it, but she was thankful that they had escaped the constant barrage with only two fatalities. So tonight was a celebration of life, and a memorial to those lost. The music had been both lively and soothing; rather, she thought, like the man sitting next to her.

When she’d finally come out of her coma, he was there. Reading to her, talking to her, updating the ship's business. He made her laugh, and he made her cry. Through it all, she realized he was an irreplaceable part of her life and she never wanted him to leave it. 

As Sue’s voice floated over the melody of the bagpipes, Kathryn couldn’t stop the tears from falling. They were tears of guilt, of grief, of happiness and of joy. Cleansing her soul of the darkness she’d felt. Without a thought, her hand moved across her leg and reached for its companion, that had been comforting her brow, feeding her, slipping her coffee; reading the book she’d been in the middle of when the crisis started.

Chakotay wrapped his fingers around hers, squeezing gently as they slid easily and without question into the grace of the comforting relationship that Kathryn knew would carry them through the rest of their lives together.

Her focus never left the stage and the performers who had them all entranced. She wiped her eyes and lay her head against the warm, strong shoulder next to her and breathed a sigh of relief.

They’d survived.

_Through many dangers, toils and snares_  
_We have already come_  
_'Twas grace that brought us safe thus far_  
_And grace will lead us home_


End file.
